Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Legacy

The quote is hard to swallow, but it is depressingly accurate. It is credited to Red Auerbach, the legendary coach and executive of the Boston Celtics.

"9 out of 10 great players finish their career ungraciously." 

He describes the situation that players and their fans hate to witness: former superstars who just don't have what it takes anymore, yet still find themselves jogging up and down the court.

It happens to the best of them. Bird, Jordan, Miller et al- each one a special player yet ended their careers beat up and tired. Their jump shots weren't as crisp. They couldn't push it as hard on fast breaks. And the days of lighting up an opponent for 40 points any given night were long gone. Hall of Famers find a way to beat their toughest rivals, but there is one nemesis no one can beat, Father Time. He's a real bastard.

After the thrilling series against the New York Knicks, the Boston Celtics find themselves ousted after the first round of the playoffs for the first time in the modern Big/New Three era. And it flat out sucks. Boston fans have had it good for the last five years, so good we almost forget how bad we looked before Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen came to town. In the five seasons previous, the Celtics reached the Eastern Conference Finals 4 times, the NBA Finals twice, and scored a Finals victory over the Lakers the very first year of the Big Three. No team, however, stays on top for eternity.

The fact of the matter is, our stars are old, really old. KG, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry combine for over 100 years in age. The journey with Pierce and Garnett, specifically, has been special for Celtics fans. But this ride is coming to an end. This season's playoff run was very telling. Pierce is slow, wicked slow. He has a hard time keeping up defensively, and he can't seem to create his own shots as often as he used to. KG is tired. According to Doc Rivers, Garnett typically takes three hours to prepare and get loose for each game.

Maybe we were kidding ourselves when the Big Ticket signed his 3-year contract extension after last season. Perhaps the ride truly is over and Boston fan's are just in denial. I don't want to believe it, but Jackie MacMullan of ESPN Boston say's it's time for the aging stars to go. Logic and history tell us she's right, but our heart says no, not yet!

Doc said it best.

"We don't know how many more years we have left with them [Pierce and KG] in the league. You always want it to be perfect for them."

We do want it to be perfect for them; a story book ending with Banner 18 hanging in the rafters as the veterans retire into the sunset. But this is real life, not Space Jam. If they want to stay competitive, the Celtics can't afford to keep players too long past their primes. Danny Ainge has some tough decisions to make. Do we keep Pierce, or buy him out for $5 million? If Garnett doesn't have much left in the tank, can you trade him for younger, potential stars?

How the front office handles these two future Hall of Famers will be indicative of the next two to five years. It will change how Doc coaches, it will change the style in which they play the game, and it will change they way we watch our beloved franchise. But no matter what happens this off-season, the legacy of Pierce, the Big Ticket, and Doc will remain: a great run conducted a by an even better coach-and-player combination.

Even if they finish ungraciously, this combination will be one of the best all time. Ain't that The Truth.

The National Football League Player Selection Meeting: The Draft

If you're like most football fans, you always look forward to watching the Draft. But if you're a Patriots fan, chances are you don't get very excited, you might even skip watching entirely. Why? Because the Patriots hardly ever approach the draft in a big way. Many times they trade down their high picks to obtain more later-round selections.

Why do they do this? If I had to guess, Belichick and company don't place much value on high picks because they are a big risk that can come with even higher costs. New England has experienced their fair share of high picks that never worked out. Bethal Johnson and Chad Jackson went early but haven't had big careers. Other high picks have worked out such as Deion Branch and Richard Seymore (before he demanded too much money). Bottom line, no one was expected the Patriots to trade up for the top ten.

So when the Patriots came on the clock they traded down, giving their 29th overall pick to Minnesota for picks in the second, third, fourth and seventh rounds. No first round pick this year. "Figures," was the reaction of most fans. But that's okay. We have been able to build great teams that can compete at the highest levels without any headline draft picks. The biggest risk they took in recent memory was picking up Albert Haynesworth... after he became a bust for the Redskins, and that didn't work out. Maybe it was a lesson learned that the Grey-Hooded One can't fix every behavior problem.

But this is part of the Patriot Way experience. They are trailblazers to previous logic; they do things their way, precedent be damned.

At the draft's half way point New England has, however, been able to add some much needed depth at key positions. They picked Southern Mississippi DE/OLB Jamie Collins, Marshall WR Aaron Dobson, Rutgers CB Logan Ryan, and Rutgers Safety Duron Harmon.

Collins seems to be a great pick. He's athletic- a former safety- so he can provide range in sub packages while providing a physical presence on the line. Dobson provides the size the Pats have needed in the receiving core. He's big and fast enough for him to take attention away from TE's Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski and additionally new comer WR Danny Amendola. And everyone and their mom knows we need help in the secondary.

Don't be surprised if New England also pursues un-drafted free agents per usual. BenJarvus GreenEllis, anyone? And you never know what kind of talent is available in the late rounds, like a certain 199th overall pick. So no matter how frustrating it may seem, the Patriots will be a better team because of this year's draft, that's a beautiful thing.

My Experience From Near the Finish Line of the Boston Marathon

My day started by heading in to Boston for what was supposed to be one of the best days of the year. I have looked forward to going to Boston on marathon Monday for a long time now and this was the year I finally got to go. My girlfriend and I were headed to the 11am Red Sox game and a couple of my friends were hanging around Boston for the day enjoying the festivities.

Sitting in the right field bleachers we saw a Red Sox game that ended in a walk-off at 2pm. Fenway was as loud as I ever heard it and we were excited for the rest of our day after the excellent game. We call our friends and they are at the Capital Grille on Boylston street just a couple blocks from the finish line of the marathon.

It took us a long time to find our way to the Grille. As we are crossing the street and hit the sidewalk next to the restaurant and we here the loud bang which was the first bomb going off. It sounded like a cannon going off to celebrate someone finishing or the muskets that they fire off at the Patriots' games when they score. So, we did not think twice about what was going on. As we were about to walk into the restaurant a lot of people were running down the street in the other direction telling people to go back, head the other way. Still at this time we had no idea what was going on so we disregarded those people telling us to head in a different direction.

We get into the restaurant and promptly order a drink. As we do so there are police officers and people sprinting up and down the street. The bartenders turn the televisions to the news stations and it shows the chaos that is ensuing and we are right there standing and not knowing what to do. The manager of the restaurant jumps on the top of the table and tells everyone to get away from the windows, and then a minute later tells everyone that they have to leave.

At this point everyone is petrified and have no idea what to do. We start just walking where the cops tell us to go. They are not allowing anyone to head down to the crime scene. We all just keep walking, but as we are walking we are all extremely scared of another bomb going off.

We are in a crowd of over what feels like five million people just walking together. People that we pass are crying. We all just want to stay together and make sure that everyone is safe. We continue to follow where the cops tell us to go. Eventually we stopped and waited for a ride to drive us back home, as the train stations have been shut down. After some time the ride comes and we leave the city.

For as close as we were I cannot imagine being even closer to that finish line. My heart goes out to all of those families involved. I will continue to pray for your families to get better. It's truly horrific action by a coward who will be brought to justice very soon.

If your not from Boston and you are reading this blog, the Boston Marathon is one of the most cherished days in Boston that is full of tradition. The city will come back stronger than ever and the Boston Marathon will be stronger next year.

Boston Bruins Add to Their Offense With the Addition of Jaromir Jagr

Who's ready to see some more mullets at TD Garden? I sure am.

On Tuesday the Boston Bruins struck a deal with the Dallas Stars for right winger Jaromir Jagr. Who is famous for putting pucks in the back of the net since 1990, and his mullet. 

He is one of the best goal scorers of all-time, but is a little past his prime. The 41-year-old has five 100 point seasons, which no one should expect from him this year or in the future. He is nearly a rental that can hopefully make the woeful Bruins power play relevant again. 

Putting him on the power play with Tyler Seguin, Dougie Hamilton, David Krejci and Brad Marchard should excite fans. Jagr may not be the prototypical Claude Julian player, but he can score, which is what the Bruins need dearly. His 14 goals this season puts him in a tie with Marchard for the team lead.

After losing out on Jarome Iginla to Pittsburgh, getting Jagr is no consolation. He is just what the Bruins need. He might not be a great two-way player like Iginla, but he should help a offense which has been stagnant as of late. 

Putting Jagr on a first line with Krejci and Milan Lucic should create some more opportunities. With this line you are bumping Nathan Horton to the third line, which is where he should be with his recent play. At least give these lines a try at first and then if they are not working, you can always adjust them.

It's great to see the Bruins aggressive before the trade deadline, which is 3pm ET Wednesday. Let's see if they make any more moves, which would probably be for a defender. At least their offense is set now, and with Chris Kelly coming back soon, its a great sign. 

Here's a picture of the famous mullet.

Red Sox Opening Day!

It the most wonderful time of the year- Red Sox opening day. There's nothing like it. Every baseball season brings a promise of a new beginning, an opportunity to start fresh. For Boston fans, we certainly would like to forget the last two years and we desperately need this team to bring the Fenway Faithful a reason to hope.

We have, after all, become accustomed to competitive baseball teams. So every spring we ask our selves: is this team as good as the 04 or 07 squads? It's really a pointless question, however, because so much can change in a 162 game season. The best we can say is whether or not the team looks like it can compete in a tough division. And I think we can.

There are a few reasons to feel good about this team. The player that has me most excited is Jackie Bradley Jr. For Sox fans who have been living under a rock this past spring training, Bradley is a stud rookie who after a few short weeks of great hitting went from playing left out on opening day to starting in left field today. The 22 year-old outfielder had an on base percentage of .509 while he slugged .613. I know, it's only spring training, but if a guy already has a tendency to get on base, by balls or by hits, he's going to carry that ability forward. Patience at the plate is a virtue far too many hitters don't have, so I think the Sox are wise to recognize what this kid can bring to the lineup.

A lot of pundits have already written this team off, but there are other reasons to be optimistic about the Red Sox this year. These include, but are not limited too, the starting rotation and our infield. The front office made what some would call lackluster moves this offseason, but they might just work out. The pitching staff this year could provide a consistent defense against an AL East filled with good hitters. Jon Lester will be a great frontman, as both he and Clay Bucholz need to be back to their days of dominating opposing teams. The question marks for the rotation will be Ryan Dempster and John Lackey. Will Dempster's age (36 in may) be a problem for him down the stretch? Can Lackey ever get himself back to his old form? If these two are anything close to their better years, the Sox could be in good shape.

But you're not a real team unless you can score runs. Despite an injury plagued season that resulted in a last place divisional finish, the Sox actually scored the 8th most runs in baseball last year; only the Yankees scored more in our division. Throughout the last decade, Boston has been a team that can score a lot of runs, so can we do the same this year? In addition to what-could-be a great outfield, out infielders will contribute a lot offensively. Mike Napoli and Dustin Pedroia have proven to be great hitters, we'll need them at their best this year if we want to compete in the east. Additionally, Stephen Drew is not his brother, so that only means good things. And let's not forget, Will Middlebrooks was out-hitting Mike Trout before he hurt his wrist last year.

So with the right combination of hitting and pitching (I mean, every team wants that) the Red Sox could be a wicked good team. It's going to be a long season, but a season am I looking forward to. The AL East is a tough division to compete in. Toronto just re-tooled their entire lineup, and the Orioles want to prove that last year wasn't a fluke...and Tampa always plays Boston hard. Fortunately for Red Sox Nation, the one team in the worst shape for opening day is the New York Yankees.

Tiger Woods Winning is What Golf Has Been Waiting For

Golf has been waiting for the old Tiger Woods to come back, and it looks like he has arrived. Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Monday, which catapulted him back to his perch as the number one golfer in the world.

Woods seems to have found his swing and gained his confidence back, after winning on Monday he now has three wins so far in the short season. After his accident and scandal in 2009, Woods took some time away from the game. Then he came back and won only periodically, never regaining what he once had when people believed he was going to pass Jack Nicklaus in Major victories. Now that is looking less and less likely with every year that passes.

With the win Monday, Woods becomes the favorite for the first major of the year, the Masters; A tournament Woods hasn't won since his scandal. Since Woods' absence golf has been looking for the next player to carry the torch. They never really found that player despite Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, and Rory Mcilroy's efforts, but haven't had the impact that Woods has. 

I still believe that Woods will catch Nicklaus while also catching Sam Snead as the all-time wins leader. He has found is stroke along with his confidence which is a dangerous combination. Woods has that fire back in his eyes that fellow golfers hate to see. 

The PGA tour should be ecstatic that Woods is winning because with that comes ratings and publicity.  Already at three wins, Woods should end up with five or more for the season with at least one Major. If not the year will be a disappointment for Woods.

Woods still has his haters, but he has done all the right things since 2009 and should be gaining back some of those lost fans. I never wavered from Woods, so it is great to see one of the all-time greatest playing up to his potential. 

Why Jackie Bradley Jr. Should be on the Red Sox Opening Day Roster

The best hitter for the Red Sox this spring training wasn't Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury or David Ortiz it was the 22-year-old Jackie Bradley Jr.

He obviously has the talent to be on a major league roster, but do the Red Sox want him? Bradley has been the hot topic this whole spring training. Mostly everyone agrees he should be with the Sox'  on April 1. But, do the Red Sox want to mess with his service time.

As most fans remember last year Angels outfielder Mike Trout wasn't called up until May, so the Angels could get another year of arbitration with the phenom. It certainly helps out the team long term to keep Bradley in the minors, but this Red Sox team needs his bat in the lineup now.

After back-to-back disappointing season the fans need to see a great product on the field early in the season, and that product has to be the best the organization has. Bradley gives the fans something to look forward too, along with hope.

If David Ortiz was healthy or the team had more talent then I would be all for keeping Bradley in the minors for a little while. As he has yet to play above Double A. But, Ortiz looks like he will start the season on the disabled list with a sore heel, which makes this lineup even thinner.

After the top four batters the lineup drops off. With Ortiz out you can move Johnny Gomes to the DH spot and Bradley to left field, which isn't his natural position, but he can be above average. Not much should get in between Bradley and Ellsbury in center and left field.

Bradley provides an element of speed also that this team lacks, where he stole 48 bases in 2012.

Red Sox manager John Farrell needs to think out of the box, give this team a spark early. This is the lineup I would like to see rolled out April 1 aganist the Yankees:

Jackie Bradley LF
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Dusin Pedroia 2B
Mike Napoli 1B
Will Middlebrooks 3B
Jarrod Saltalamacchia C
Johnny Gomes DH
Stephen Drew SS
Shane Victorino RF

Victorino is a proven commodity and can be an excellent second lead-off man in the bottom of the order. The middle of the order has some good pop. With speed and good contact hitters up top and the pop in the middle, a lot of runs should be scored.

This isn't the best lineup in Red Sox history, but it should get the job done, and provide some excitement for a starved Red Sox Nation.

Welcome Jackie Bradley Jr. to the show.

Tom Brady and the Patriots

All good things come to an end. For Patriots fans, we've have it good for a long time now. The Patriots have been a dominant force in the NFL since I was 10 years old- all I have known as a dedicated football fan is that New England is going to be competitive year in and year out. With the combination of Tom Brady, Bill Belichick, and a shrewd front office, the Patriots have posted a decade-plus of success. Three Lombardi Trophies,  five AFC Championships, and the most Division titles in a ten year period- all of which will overshadow the countless records Tom and company racked up in the same period.

History will show how special this team has been. But what the Patriots have created is a fan base that expects to win the Super Bowl every single year. Though we have not seen a Lombardi Trophy in New England since the 2004 regular season team, the Patriots remain a feared franchise and are always a favorite to go far into the playoffs.

But regardless of how well a team performs, fans of any sport always become infatuated with certain players. The Patriots have seen there fair share of fan-favorites come and go: Ty Law, Lawyer Milloy, Willie McGinest, Richard Seymour, et al. But when a team is focused on winning, they fill their roster will players who can execute, not guys that are popular on twitter. Because of that, sometimes our favorites are traded or leave for our rivals. It hurts, it stings, and it becomes easy to feel betrayed.

For New England fans, we have experienced two constants: Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. And it does not appear that they will be going anywhere anytime soon, Brady just signed a very humble contract extension that will keep him in a Flying Elvis helmet until he's 40 years old- that's five more years for those who are counting. Besides these two stalwarts, the Patriots are a team of constant change.

This week, fans experienced a wrath of mixed emotions when we learned that Wes Welker, Brady's more consistent target, chose to leave for the Denver Broncos in free agency. Very quickly the blogosphere and twitter exploded in anger that the Kraft family couldn't muscle up a few more dollars to keep Welker. They are quick to forget the Patriots didn't just let Wes walk, they offered him a deal. Instead of taking the hometown discount like Brady, he simply chose to play for another deal for more money.

I'm not criticizing Welker, I love him and the way he plays. But before we jump to the blame game, we have to identify that is was his choice to leave. He gave New England fans the Johnny Damon treatment- leave your home team where you are loved and go play for a rival for more money. In the NFL today, I cannot blame a guy that gets the snot beat out of him every time he goes over the middle to go for the deal that offers the most coin. Welker only has so many seasons left in the tank, so if playing for Denver is what's best for him, God bless. Thanks for the memories.

A lot of fans were angry when Lawyer Milloy was let go. But a 17-1 run to another Super Bowl title helped us forget about him. But this is Belichick's style. The whole team is greater than the sum of its parts. When one star leaves, he can easily be replaced; welcome to New England Danny Amendola (a receiver, by the way, who has better stats pre-Patriots than Wes did with Miami). We cannot be sure how long this run will last. As long as this "Patriot Way" with Tom and Bill at the helm remain a constant, New England fans can remain hopeful for another Lombardi Trophy year in and year out.

NFL Offseason Provides Opportunity to Add Size to Defensive Backfields

Guest Post by Brian Cossette

Since 2004 when Bill Polian helped to emphasize the enforcement of the illegal contact rule, offenses in the NFL have become much more pass heavy and high powered. Defensive backs used to be given much more liberty in their contact of opposing receivers, but now are only given a 5 yard window to touch the receivers.

With the success of teams like Seattle and San Francisco, perhaps the league has found a blueprint to counter such pass heavy attacks- beat them up within that 5 yard window. One thing the Seahawks and 49ers certainly don’t lack is size in their secondary. Of the eight starting spots between the two teams’ defensive backfields four are over 6’2”. The Seahawks defense alone boasts 3 defensive backs over 6’3”.

One thing these teams like to do is use their cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage to press the opposing team’s receivers. Press coverage allows defenses to comply with the illegal contact rule while still altering receivers’ routes and imposing some physicality on modern receivers- who have benefited from several rule changes involving contact.

If this indeed is to be the next stop on the NFL’s train of evolution, this offseason certainly provides ample opportunity for teams to re-stock on defensive backs.

Three of the top free agent cornerbacks on the market are over 6’1”. Aqib Talib, Sean Smith, and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie have all have been cited for their ability to press at the line of scrimmage and excel in man coverage. While they have their fair share of concerns, there is little doubt that those three players can make a major impact on the back end for any team needing cornerback help.

Help can be had on the safety market as well, where hard hitters such as Dashon Goldson, Laron Landry, and the versatile Glover Quin will also be out to command hefty contracts.

In the draft, there is a surplus of cornerbacks and safeties with excellent size. In addition to being over 6’ tall, cornerbacks Dee Millner, Xavier Rhodes, Jonathon Banks, Desmond Trufant, and Blidi Wreh-Wilson have all been projected to be selected as high as the first round by draft pundits. The safety class is considered to be the deepest it has been in years, with John Cyprien, Kenny Vaccaro, and Eric Reid all projected to be drafted in the first round as well.

Teams looking to upgrade their defensive backfield may have many choices given the current market, but that does not mean these players will come cheap. Teams will have to invest either with long term contracts or first round picks, but you can count on it happening one way or the other.

Tom Brady Signs a Contract Extension That Will Make Him a Patriots for Life

On Monday Tom Brady signed a contract extension that will make him a Patriot for life. He signed a three-year $27 million contract extension that will make him 40-years-old at the deals end.

The deal creates a serious amount of cap space for the Patriots over the next two seasons. It amounts to about $7 million per season. In an off-season where there are a lot of teams close to the cap, this may be an off-season unprecedented to Patriots fans.

Besides helping the Patriots, the 36-year-old Brady gave himself some security. Before signing the deal, Brady had two years and about $30 million left. Now he has $57 million that's fully guaranteed in case of injury.

Brady's salary got lowered from $9.7 million to $1 million and $2 million in 2013 and 2014 respectively. If Brady is on the roster after the last game of 2014 the money left on the deal is fully guaranteed.

Its a win--win for both sides, the Patriots get the cap space that they wanted, and Brady got some long term security. When you're getting into the latter point in your career, you never know what may happen, even though he is married to the multi millionaire supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

He did give the Patriots a little bit of a discount. As his salary is not even close to other top quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Peyton Manning for example, who all make close to $20 million annually.

Brady realizes his window is closing, so he wants to add to his already illustrious career. Clearing another $7 million in cap lets the patriots add a top tier free agent like Greg Jennings or Dwayne Bowe. Or they could keep their in house talent, which includes Brady's safety blanket, Wes Welker.

He already has enough money than he would ever ask for, so why not try and become the best quarterback to ever step foot on an NFL field?

The Patriots were so close last year to going to their third Super Bowl in six years. Their offense was one of the best in NFL history. I think they need to stay status quo on offense and use that $7 million on defense.

There is a lot of talent on the market this year like cornerback Brent Grimes, and there's not a lot of teams that can pay them big money. You might be able to get two aging, but productive stars at that. Add to this defense; give the already productive-but-young talent some veterans that you can depend on when its third down or in the playoffs.

Enjoy this while you can because you may never see this again: a top two player at his position taking a home town discount. As TB 12 said on his Facebook page yesterday, all that he wants to do is "Just Win."

What do NASCAR and the Boston Bruins Have in Common?

The Bruins are on the road to take on the Florida Panthers today while NASCAR Sprint Cup starts its season with the Daytona 500, but that's not all they have in common. As a sport, both markets have a long history in America. They are sports of grit and mental toughness and both enjoy a large and loyal fan base. So before I anger both hockey and NASCAR fans, I promise I have a point so stay with me.

NASCAR started with a foundation of a poor man's sport. Mechanics and factory workers would save up for weeks to able to afford tickets to their favorite track. Many of the drivers were greece monkeys themselves, working through the week to able to afford tires for the weekend race. Unlike many of the current athletes, fans found drivers they could relate too. The drivers understood what it meant to live pay check to pay check. Today, it is much more of a sophisticated sport. The engineering is better, the cars are faster, and the fan base is wider.

For the Bruins and the rest of the NHL, the history of the sport and team dedication has been passed down through generations. From the original six to the full 30 team league they have today, hockey has never been more popular. Though not America's most popular sport, our nation rallied around our 1980 Olympic team to beat the Soviets and go on to win the Gold Medal. It was a rare moment when sports brought an entire country together; it became something more than a hockey game, it was about beating our Cold War rival.

But what makes each sport special are its fans. Both are unique in their own right. It's not uncommon to have entire rooms in a fan's house dedicated to the team or driver they love. You get that with every sport, sure. But there are some events that show how dedicated these fans are.

In 2002, a 13 year old hockey fan was struck in the head by a hockey puck during a Blue Jackets-Calgary Flames game. She was taken to a nearby hospital where the young girl later died. For the players, league and fans nation wide, it was shocking how susceptible the stands can be.

Just yesterday, at the Nationwide Daytona 250, on the last lap of the race cars piled up racing for the win. As a result Kyle Larson's car ended up in the air and in the fence; his engine and tires landed in the stands. 28 fans were injured, 14 of which had to be taken to the hospital. At this point, it looks like everyone will fortunately survive.

It is remarkable that so much attention has been focused on keeping hockey players safe from concussions and drivers safe in the race car. When athletes get hurt, everyone chalks it up to "that's the risk you take." And that's okay. But when fans get hurt, it strikes everyone differently. After Tony Stewart won yesterday's race he climbed out of the car without any jubilant celebrations in Victory Lane, instead he was worried about the fans.

The amazing sensation about these fans? Even after a young girl dies or car parts fly into the stands, they still come back for more because they love their sport. That's dedication and that's what these two sports have in common. So much of sports today is focused on who has the biggest contract, or who earned the most fantasy points today. The media sometimes forgets about the fans, but without the fans the sports wouldn't exist.

I will be watching the Bruins in action at the BB&T Center today, as I will simulatneously watch the Daytona 500 on the TVs in the Duffy's Sky Box. Just another fan, watching some of his favorite sports.

Celtics Add Jordan Crawford to Thin Backcourt

Thursday the Celtics acquired sharpshooter Jordan Crawford from the Washington Wizards for injured Leandro Barbosa and Jason Collins.

Crawford has never seen a shot he didn't like as he adds an element of scoring that the C's didn't have heading into Thursday. He's an athletic two guard that can slash and shoot from well beyond the three point line. After losing starting point guard Rajon Rondo and Barbosa to injury, the backcourt was quite thin, so adding Crawford is just what the doctor ordered.

Averaging 13.1 points per game he can come off the bench for 26-30 minutes a game, and give the second unit a great one-two punch along with Jason Terry.

Most thought that Kevin Garnett and/or Paul Pierce could get dealt for draft picks or young assets, but general manager Danny Ainge couldn't find a deal he thought was suitable. Plus, Garnett went on the record, saying he would not waive his no-trade clause that was incorporated into a three-year $36 million deal he signed this summer.Which could end up hurting the Celtics in the long run, as Garnett may decide to retire at the end of the year and not receive any compensation for him.

Rumors were the Clippers offered DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe for Garnett. Which would have been an excellent deal in the long-term for the C's, but giving Garnett the no-trade clause hindered what Ainge could do.

Deciding to be buyers not sellers at the deadline means the Celtics are going for it all. Even though their record doesn't show it, they're the second best team in the east, only the Heat are head and shoulders above them.

With the emergence of Jeff Green, they have the chance to give Miami a competitive seven game series, if he can slow down LeBron James.

Overall it was a quiet deadline around the NBA, but the C's got Crawford for basically nothing. Let's hope that the older C's can get some lift knowing this may be there last opportunity to go win it all.

Owning the Boston Red Sox

Imagine buying a business with a client base that has been dissatisfied for 86 years. How do you turn things around? For the ownership of the Boston Red Sox, they only had one option- winning the World Series. So after taking over the franchise in 2002 they did just that...twice in four years. 2004 meant good-bye "wait til' next year," no more "whose your daddy?" chants in the Bronx, and so-long Curse. Boston was the winning city again. John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Warner had created a baseball team to consistently compete at a high level.

Year in and year out, Sox fans have expected a team that has the talent to make it to October. We want to make the playoffs and compete for another title. Because of this, fans are expecting much more out of the 2013 Sox than we got from rosters of the past. And we have good reason to expect nothing short of the best.

That's generally a good thing, until that teams starts to slip. The last two years have been utter disappointments for Red Sox fans. After the September collapse that Yankee fans just love to remind us about in 2011, the Fenway Faithful didn't see much of an improvement throughout 2012. As a result, many fans now question the intent of the Sox' ownership. Do they really care about winning anymore? Who's more important to John Henry, Boston or Liverpool?

Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, wrote an Op-Ed featured on LinkedIn named "The Mavs are a Business Unlike Any Other." He explained the challenges and joys of owning a major sports franchise. What is evident about Cuban is he is his team's biggest fan. He wants to win just as much as his players because after all he was a fan a long time before he ever bought the team. Much like Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Cuban was a long time season ticket holder so he still has the fire in his belly to want to see the Mavs compete for a title.

The owners of the Red Sox have a different tale. The majority owners (Henry, Lucchino, and Warner) all have executive experience at baseball teams other than the Sox. They did not grow up in Boston so they didn't experience the 86 year drought like most fans did. They don't have members of their family who never got their dying wish- to see the Red Sox win a World Series. All other things equal, the current Sox ownership were never die-hard fans, rather they remain businessmen. But that doesn't ipso-facto make them less of an owner than Kraft or Cuban.

The longest tenured owner of the Red Sox was the Yawkey family. Coveted by Boston so much that we named a street after Tom Yawkey, but many forget or are ignorant to the fact that in the midst of our 86 year drought, Yawkey traded Willie Mays out of our farm system because he didn't want a black player on his major league roster. For those of you who didn't know that, let that settle in for a second. Yes, the Red Sox once had of the most prolific players of all time sitting in their farm system, waiting for the boss to give him a chance, but we traded him away based on the color of his skin.

So before we consider the ability of the current ownership to build competitive baseball teams and their desire to do just that, we should take these matters into perspective. It is very apparent that when current management took over, they wanted to win. They had desire that matches the Cubans and Krafts of the billionaire sports fans' club. You don't win two World Series by mistake. The existential question Sox fans address now is: do they have that same desire, and are the Sox their number one priority?

It is very easy for fans to answer that question by simply saying 'no,' when you look for all the warning signs. Fenway Sports Management has branched out in recent years purchasing the soccer franchise Liverpool while also buying half of the NASCAR team known today as Rousch Fenway Racing. It is not uncommon for owners to have teams from different sports, Kraft owns the New England Revolution in addition to the Patriots for example. But Henry and company made an unprecedented move with the blockbuster purchase of a historic soccer franchise and a NASCAR team.

What concerns many Boston fans is that these new teams take away the focus from the Red Sox. It doesn't help that former Manager Terry Francona's new book eviscerates the ownership as a group who cared more about the ratings on NESN than the team's win-loss column. Maybe Francona is just disgruntled that he was given the boot after having arguably the best tenure as manager in team history. Or, maybe this was his Canseco moment where years later we find out he was right all along. And what about rumors of Henry looking to sell? He answered these claims that they simply were looking for more investors, and that's commonplace in business.

So what is to be said about the state of the Red Sox and the team's ownership? I'm not sure. It's easy to speculate what their true intentions are and many fans love to play Monday morning quarterback after October. But any serious fan can't look at the acquisitions the last few years and think they're not trying to win. Sure, getting Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford never brought another ring, but is that management's fault? I argue no, it's not.

I'm not saying that Sox ownership should be more like Cuban, everyone has their own style. Not winning a World Serious in 5 years is not good, but it's also not proof that Sox brass has given up on the team. Nick laid out his thoughts on the 2013 team. Let's hope we get back to the days of the Idiots and Cowboy Up rather than beer and chicken wings in the clubhouse and a disabled listed with a bigger salary than the starting roster. In order to get there, the goal of winning has to come from the top.

Why the Patriots Should Franchise Aqib Talib

Guest post by: Brian Cossette

With the deadline to use the franchise and transition tags on players almost a week away, the Patriots still face the dilemma on who (or if) to tag. Assuming they plan to use the franchise tag over the rarely seen transition tag, they have three probable options. They can tag receiver Wes Welker for the second year in a row, this time at $11.4 million; right tackle Sebastian Vollmer at $10.67 million; or cornerback Aqib Talib at $9.66 million. Unfortunately for the Patriots, the decision may have just gotten easier.

Courtesy of Alfonzo Dennard’s actions the day before this past year’s NFL Draft, the Patriots may be short one of their starting cornerbacks for at least part of this upcoming season. Dennard was found guilty of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest this past week, and may be facing prison time. Even if Dennard is able to avoid incarceration, he will certainly be suspended by Commissioner Roger Goodell. Combine Dennard’s situation with nickelback Kyle Arrington’s free agency and the Patriots are certainly in the market for a corner.

Luckily for them, arguably the best cornerback available in free agency is already on their roster,Talib-  who knows a thing or two about the judicial system as well. Should the Patriots take a risk and allow Talib to enter free agency, they may be looking at their worst secondary group in years if he signs elsewhere. Apparently it is possible for the Pats’ secondary to get worse.

The Patriots lack of cornerback depth provides a necessity to franchise Talib, but it turns out that it may be the most logical move as well. Talib’s play on the field certainly justifies a long term contract, but his propensity to get in trouble off the field has the team hesitating to make a commitment. Tagging Talib provides the Patriots another year to interview the troubled cornerback. Should he confirm their doubts and get into trouble, they would not be liable for a long term commitment and could part ways after next season.

The Patriots must also consider the replacements for Welker, Vollmer, and Talib. Welker is a part of a massive wide receiver free agent market that includes Pro Bowlers Greg Jennings, Mike Wallace, and Dwayne Bowe.

Vollmer would likely be replaced in house as offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia is one of the best in the league at developing offensive line talent; or via the draft where the o-line is a major strength this year.

Meanwhile, Talib is most likely the best player available to the Patriots at the cornerback position as the free agency crop has flaws (Brent Grimes is likely the best competition, and he is coming off a torn ACL). The draft is not only weak but often doesn't provide immediate returns.

The price tag for Talib is also the most fair compared to that of Welker and Vollmer. It can be argued that all three players deserve an average annual salary in the $6-8 million range. Welker is a slot receiver who is in his mid 30's and limited in his capabilities; Vollmer is a right tackle where even the highest paid players do not make more than $7 million; Talib is the best cornerback the Patriots have had since Asante Samuel. Not only is Talib valued similarly to Welker and Vollmer, but his franchise tag figure is also the lowest of the three.

While nothing is a certainty with the Patriots, it seems clear that they are in a bit of a bind when it comes to their options at cornerback. Losing Talib would be very costly and extend their recent history of poor secondary play.

It may hurt some fans’ feelings to choose a troubled newcomer over the reliable and beloved Wes Welker, but the Patriots are about smart business- not hurt feelings.

How Good is this Red Sox team?

Late in 2012 I wondered what direction the Red Sox would go? Would they totally rebuild? Sign top tier free-agents? Or rebuild while trying to be competitive. They choose option number three.

Signing outfielder Shane Victorino to a three-year $36 million deal. Pitcher Ryan Dempster to a two-year $26.5 million contract. Along with Mike Napoli, who got a incentive laden one-year deal. Those were the three big signings, they also signed Stephen Drew who will be the starting shortstop. All of these players are in their mid to late thirties, except Drew who is 29. None of them are in the prime of their career anymore, but they are still quality players.

With none of the deals being long term the Sox' are bridging the cap until their top prospects are ready. Shortstop Xander Boegarts (20) looks to be the next big thing to hit Fenway. He hits for power, average and runs the bases very well. Look for him to join the Sox' in the middle of the year, if they are competing for a playoff spot, just like the Orioles did with their prized prospect Manny Machado (20) last year.

Center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. (22) looks set to roam the outfield in 2014 for the Sox. Depending if the Red Sox decide to re-sign Jacoby Ellsbury after this season will dictate what position Bradley will play. 

Having to unload massive contracts that they had given out to Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh Beckett, not to many people believed they would make a substantial offer to a free-agent. It seems as they have a direction that they are headed in, which hasn't been the case in recent years. 

I want to believe this team can make the playoffs and even compete for a World Series, but that would be being a little naive. This team has some great players, but they are all getting up their in age. They have Dustin Pedroia, Will Middlebrooks and Ellsbury to lean on as their young players, but they have core players that have been injured the past couple seasons. David Ortiz, Clay Buchholz and even Ellsbury have missed a chunk of time. They really need to avoid the injury bug if they want to compete.

An 85 win team is where they will probably end up. But, that total can go up or down with how this team meshes and how well the pitching staff pitches. If they have a year like last, that total will be in the 70's. 

The team seems to be more likable and should give maximum effort every night which is a blessing for Sox' fans. Just as a fan don't set your expectations too high, realize they have a plan, and enjoy the ride.

How the NBA Needs to Change All-Star Weekend

During the NBA all-star weekend, you get to see event that shows off the top talents in the NBA. The slam dunk contest isn't what it once was, but it is still fun to see some amazing dunks. Then you have the three-point contest, and the rising stars game. But, the NBA is not capitalizing on the product that they have. 

Allowing fans to vote for the all-star starters is the first thing that I would change. It is great that fans get to see the players they want. But, it is basically just the players that they know when they go to put the check mark next to their name. Look at this year's all-star starters:

Eastern Conference All-Star Starting Lineup

LeBron James (Miami Heat)

Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat)

                                        

Carmello Anthony (New York Knicks)

Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)

Rajon Rondo (replaced by Chris Bosh)

Western Conference All-Star Starting Lineup

Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers)

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)

Dwight Howard (Los Angeles Lakers)

Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers)

Most of these players deserve the spot like Durant, Paul, Bryant, Anthony and James. But, all the another deserve to be on the bench or not in the game at all. I think they need to get rid of the positions, just have the five best players start on each team. Howard and Griffin should be on the bench. James Harden should be starting in his place, as he is fifth best scorer in the NBA at 26.1 ppg and is carrying a mediocre Houston Rockets team, and either Stephen Curry or Zach Randolph should be starting in Griffin's place. 

As much as I love Kevin Garnett he should be enjoying this weekend in Malibu. At the age of 37 he is not putting up numbers that validate him as an all-star. Paul George a rising young player in Indiana should be taking his spot.

Fans vote for the names they know, not everyone has an NBA league pass, so they may not see the Pacers play a lot. Have the coaches vote and get some fresh blood in their so the NBA can broaden their horizons. 

Now moving on to the Dunk Contest, this year the most recognized name was Kenneth Faried, yes, Kenneth Faried. He's a great rebounder and hustle player, but won't get the casual fan to watch the dunk contest. 

The NBA should have the right to compel certain players to do the dunk contest. It won't be a popular decision among players, but it would make the weekend much more enjoyable. Put LeBron James up against Blake Griffin. Rating's would go up, and that all the NBA cares about, just like any other sport. 

Just like all other sports all-star weekends they need some tweaking, but the NBA's all-star weekend could be an event that you look forward to. Now, its just something if your scrolling the guide on your TV you will throw on. The NBA needs to make it must watch TV and more authentic.

Fantasy Baseball Rankings 6-10

Guest post by Chris Naff.

Somehow, I convinced Nick to let me write for Around the World Sports Opinions- he has no idea what he just got himself into. For me, and probably like most of you, watching sports is the one way to unwind from long days and become detached from the real world. Hands down, my favorite sport to watch at any level is baseball.

Throughout its history, baseball has had special players from Babe Ruth to Cal Ripken Jr. come and go. By remembering these titans and recognizing how important they were to baseball we can appreciate the talent of today's greatest players. We would love to see another Willie Mays or Ty Cobb; Ted Williams claimed watching Nomar Garciaparra bat reminded him of Joe DiMaggio. So who are today's top players? Nick found 5 really good hitters that will surely be hot commodities this fantasy season. So who justifies rounding out the top ten?

Getcha popcorn ready, here's my list.

6. Josh Hamilton

I love watching this guy. As long as he spends more time in the batting cage than he does in the bar room, you can count on Hamilton having yet another big year. No one anticipated Albert Pujols to have his slow start with the Angels last year, but that doesn't mean Hamilton is destined for the same struggles. His power numbers were second only to Cabrera last year. He did not hit for average like Cabrera, but his 43 home runs were one shy of Miggy and his 128 RBIs were second best as well. Additionally, he will find himself in the middle of a very potent lineup, so he has the chance to see great pitches. Will that improve his batting average? Let's watch and find out.

2013 Projections: .290 average, 105 runs/ 40 HRs/ 130 RBIs/ 5 stolen bases

7. Adrian Beltre

Entering into the twilight of his career, Beltre is coming off three straight years with 100+ RBIs. He will turn 34 in April but all signs show he isn't slowing down any time soon. His average last year was 5th best in baseball at .321 while racking up 194 hits. The one major problem for Beltre and the Rangers? No Hamilton in the lineup this year. We'll have to see how the team adjusts and the impact Hamilton's absence will have on other players' stats.

2013 Projections: .315 average, 90 runs/ 35 HRs/ 105 RBIs/ 2 stolen bases

8. Prince Fielder

Somehow, some way, Prince makes his rotund shape work to his advantage. He is coming his second best year thus far. After playing in every game of 2012, he finished with an average of .313 with 30 home runs and 108 RBIs, not to mention an on base percentage of .412. At the age of 28 years old, he's in the midst of his prime so there's no telling how good he'll be for the Tigers in 2013.

2013 Projections: .315 average, 85 runs/ 37 HRs/ 100 RBIs/ 1 stolen base

9. Buster Posey

Overshadowed by Miguel Cabrera's historic AL Triple Crown season, let's not forget this kid from San Fran's average topped all of baseball at .336. His power numbers are outstanding for a catcher: 24 home runs with 103 RBIs, not to mention an on base percentage of .408. After returning from an injury shortened 2011, in 2012 he proved 2010 was not just beginners luck. In addition to his stellar numbers, his durability is something any fantasy juggernaut likes to see: he caught 148 games last year. Sure, he's a catcher, but at a ripe age of 25 he proves Mike Trout isn't the only young gun to be a hot commodity in fantasy leagues.

2013 Projections: .335 average, 80 runs/ 27 HRs/ 110 RBIs/ 1 stolen base

10. Albert Pujols

After going through what he considered a minor procedure on his knee, Pujols is expecting to be ready for opening day. That's good news for fantasy leagues. But picking Big Al at #10 was hard. The days of him hitting .357 are probably over, but at 33, he still has a lot of fuel left in his tank. You can chalk his slow start to 2012 for what ever reason you like. He still hit 30 home runs with over 100 RBIs. Is he just complacent now that he landed a big contract? I and every baseball fan hopes not. As you can tell, I think the lineup a hitter is placed in has a huge effect on how they perform in the batters' box. The Angles already have a great combination from Trout and Pujols, but now add Hamilton. Look out, because all other things equal, Big Al could be destined for a great year.

2013 Projections: .305 average, 90 runs/ 35 HRs/ 95 RBIs/ 3 stolen bases

So there you have it, my picks for 6-10. Our top ten list is loaded with talent which means it has all the makings of a great year for baseball. I could not be more excited. I just hope that pesky old team from Boston finds its heart again and reclaims its post-season spot.

By the way, there are a few players I think everyone should look out for. Living in Florida I have had the privilege of watching Giancarlo Stanton and Hanley Ramirez play in person. Stanton is a beast, but his problem is he's the only star left on the Marlins as Ramirez is now with the Dodgers. Stanton is developing into a great hitter. He hit 37 home runs last year while only knocking in 86 runs, but that's mainly due to not having enough runners on base when he's at bat. Hanley has been coveted by scouts for a long time. He's 29 now. He should be crushing the ball. With a new team, maybe we will see the Hanley we should always see.

Don't agree? Think players like Edwin Encarnacion or Chase Headley or Robinson Cano should have been included? Let us know and comment below.

For more rants, you can follow me on twitter @Chris_Naff.

Fantasy Baseball Rankings 1-5

It's that time of the year again. Major League Baseball teams are heading to their respective spring training complexes, gearing up for April 1st. With the beginning of spring training that means fantasy baseball is starting up. It's not as popular as fantasy football, but it ranks a close second. As always the top five fantasy selections are studs, and if you are lucky enough to draft in the top half of the first round you should be in excellent shape. When you're drafting a player that high your looking for MVP type numbers. Last year's number one pick in most draft's was Matt Kemp, coming off 39 home runs and 40 stolen bases in 2011, many expected the same. But, a hamstring injury limited him to 106 games and 8th to 9th round value at the end of the season. So these rankings are based on what I expect from these players this season on a 162 game pace.

These rankings are based on a standard league, with runs, runs batted in, batting average, home runs and stolen bases as the categories for hitters and wins, strikeouts, saves, whip and earned run average for pitchers.

1. Mike Trout

The 21-year-old was touted as MLB's top prospect in baseball for the past two seasons. Trout started the year in Triple-A and then was called up in May, and put up numbers that no one has seen from someone that young before. He played in 139 games and put up numbers that most thought were MVP worthy. Trout is an uber stud in fantasy, hitting for power, average and he even swipes some bags, finishing 2012 with .326 average and 129/30/83/49. If you pick Trout first overall you need to understand stand those numbers are going to fall off a little, but it won't be a sophomore slump. He is a lock for 25/40, with the potential to reach 40/50. Confidently pick him with the first pick, and enjoy the ride.

2013 Projections: .310 average,  125 runs/ 28 home runs/ 80 RBI's/ 50 stolen bases


2. Miguel Cabrera

Cabrera was the first person to win the triple crown since Carl Yastrzemski did it in 1967, which means he produced top flight numbers for fantasy owners. Miggy has been one of the most consistent fantasy players since his first full major league season in 2004. Eclipsing the 100 RBI mark every year and over 30 home runs 8 of the 9 years. Most sluggers don't hit for average but Miggy does, always hovering around .320. You should expect the same old for Miggy. With Prince Fielder hitting behind him the sky is the limit.

2013 Projections: .322 average, 108 runs/ 35 home runs/ 120 RBI's/ 1 stolen base


3. Matt Kemp

As a fantasy owner I love those guys who can produce in every category. To use a basketball term, Kemp fills the stat sheet. Like Trout, Kemp can slug and run. With the retooled Dodgers lineup, Kemp might outproduce the numbers he did in 2011. He has protection with Adrian Gonzalez and has table setters in Carl Crawford and Dee Gordon in front of him. Last season was a wash for Kemp, as his hamstring injury lingered all season long. He comes into spring training healthy, and a Dodgers fan base that expects the Dodgers to compete for a World Series, and to do it they need Kemp to produce like I expect him to.

2013 Projections: .300 average, 115 runs/ 31 home runs/ 109 RBI's/ 30 Stolen bases


4. Ryan Braun

Like Cabrera, Braun has been atop fantasy rankings for years. Braun has been in the news lately due to his name being on a PED supplier, which isn't what fantasy owners want to hear. The former MVP had his 50-game suspension for a failed drug test reversed so he could play a full 2012 slate. He produced once again, this time without Prince Fielder behind him. I believe Braun will put up great numbers, but I am afraid of a regression this year as the talent around him is no where near what it used to be. Nevertheless Braun will still produce numbers that will make him worthy of a top 5 pick.

2013 Projections: .315 average, 110 runs/ 33 home runs/ 110 RBI's/ 25 Stolen bases

5. Andrew McCutchen

I have already stated that I like guys who can produce in multiple categories, so lets round out the top five with another one. McCutchen leads a young Pirates team into 2013, who has some lofty expectations. McCutchen's numbers have gradually increased since he joined the big club in 2010. Playing in a great hitters park, McCutchen's numbers are limitless. The center fielder will get plenty of opportunities on the base paths which will make him much more valuable. I see him increasing all of his stats across the board in 2013.

2013 Projections: .330 average, 107 runs/ 27 home runs/ 99 RBI's/ 33 Stolen bases


New contributor Chris Naff will be posting the 6-10 rankings in the coming days. Chris will also be posting other stories during the weeks!

Should the Celtics Blow it Up?

Just a week ago, the Celtics were riding a six game winning streak, and it seemed like they were back on track. Avery Bradley returned from two off-season shoulder surgeries, bringing life to a stagnant team, but that didn't last for long. The Celtics have now lost six straight, and it now seems evident that this team will not win as constructed. They have lost to some of the worst teams during this stretch, including New Orleans, Detroit and Cleveland.

A team as talented as the Celtics can slip up and lose to one of these teams now and again, but not in a row. They seem to have no chemistry, take bad shots and just cannot close games. Last night they blew a 20 point lead in a 2OT loss to Atlanta, which seems to be the low point of the season for the 20-23 C's. 

Coming into this season, many thought that the C's had reloaded and were built to make a run at a championship. It has become evident that isn't going to happen with this mix of players. What has been the biggest disappointment is the bench. Jason Terry was brought in here to replace Ray Allen, hit late game shots, and be the sixth man of the year that he was in Dallas. The 35-year-old is averaging only a touch under 10ppg and around 28mpg, but his minutes have diminished in the six game losing skid. Jeff Green has been the biggest bust, after getting handed a $40 million deal in the offseason, we all expected big things. After missing last season due to heart surgery, we all gave him a pass for his slow start. But, now it's time for him to get out of his funk and be the difference maker we all thought he would be. He seems to be nonexistent in most games, being passive and not playing with any toughness. 

One bright spot on this team has been Jared Sullinger. The 21st pick in the 2012 draft has been quite a surprise. No one expected him to play a big role, but he has been sprung into the rotation and is averaging 6ppg and 6rpg. He is the first big man off the bench, usually spelling Kevin Garnett. Other than Sullinger, the bench as a whole has been a major disappointment.

It seems like age has finally caught up with this squad. We all thought Danny Ainge would blow up this team a couple seasons ago, but he has stayed the course. After being one win away for the NBA Championship last year, Ainge believed this team had one more run in them. Re-signing Kevin Garnett to a three year deal, and replacing Ray Allen with Terry. The team doesn't have much youth besides Sullinger, Bradley and Rajon Rondo, which will ultimately be a problem if the Celtics look to trade. 

As the trade deadline comes closer teams will be calling asking about everyone on the Celtics roster, so Ainge is going to have a big decision to make. Am I going to try and shake up this team and make a run at Miami or am I going to blow it all up, trade Pierce, Rondo, Terry, Lee and maybe even Garnett and start all over? Scenario number one seems more likely  but I just don't see any trade out there that can make this team championship worthy. Rudy Gay is the only player that is on the block that could make a huge difference on this team, but to get him you're probably going to have to give up Sullinger and a draft pick. If Memphis is interested in that, which I don't believe they are, it may be worth it as Gay can guard LeBron James, who you ultimately will have to go through. 

Honestly I don't think Ainge has the guts to blow this team up, because ultimately I don't think he wants to go through a three to four year rebuilding period. If Ainge sells off that could also mean the end for Doc Rivers who does not want to go through another rebuilding period. So, as fans we are going to enjoy watching a mediocre, old team that will get into the playoffs and probably get ousted in the first round, and we will have this conversation again in the offseason. See you then!

Patriots Off-Season Priorities, Part II

The NFL trade deadline usually comes and goes with no GM's willing to pull the trigger on a deal. It's not like in other leagues, where the trade deadline is ferocious, stressful and full of activity. But, this year as the clock struck 4pm ET, low and behold the New England Patriots struck a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Aqib Talib. The Patriots had to relinquish a 4th round pick in this years draft, to acquire the 26-year-old.

Most considered the trade a gamble, but one that was worth taking, as Aqib Talib has shutdown corner skills, but he has had more than enough off the field problems. When acquired, Talib was serving a four game suspension for a failed drug test and has had multiple problems with teammates and the law in the past. After his suspension ended Talib was slotted right into the number corner spot and played spectacular down the stretch, that's why he is off-season priority number two for the Patriots.

Before the trade, this Patriots defense was reeling, fans were getting frustrated and Bill Belichick knew he needed to do something. Acquiring Talib allowed Devin McCourty to move to safety where he excelled for the rest of the season, and seemed much more comfortable there than playing corner. Kyle Arrington was able to push into the slot, where he is better suited. Rookie Alfonso Denard played along Talib, to form a formatable one-two punch.

Talib brought this defense a swagger that we haven't seen since 2004. With 5:00 left to go in 1st quarter of the AFC Championship, Talib left a game with a quad injury, and did not return. From that point on Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco had his way with the Patriots defense. The Patriots found out what it is like to have a number one corner, something they haven't had since Asante Samuel left in 2008.

Keeping Talib with this defensive unit is vital for this team to reach the Super Bowl next season. Players like Talib don't grow on trees, he has the size, (6'1) speed, and confidence to shut down any wide receiver in the league. What the Patriots need to be worried about, is the off the field problems that haunted him in Tampa Bay. He was a model citizen for the couple months that he was in New England, but was that because he realized this was his last chance? One more incident and Talib could be kicked out of the league.

The key for the Patriots is to keep the guaranteed money down, that way Talib still has to play hard week in and week out. Letting him hit the open market could be detrimental, as so many teams would love to get a shut down corner. But, as they know he comes with risk, so is one team going to take that risk and give him a muli-year deal and an good chunk of guaranteed money? Last off-season top corner back Brandon Carr got $26 million guaranteed, with the total contract reaching $50 million. I don't see Talib getting that money but I think and incentive laden one-year deal could get it done for New England, but they may be forced to go two to keep his services.

Final Prediction- Patriots re-sign Talib for: two-years at $16 million, with $12 million guaranteed.

Patriots Off-Season Priorities, Part I

Just a day after the demoralizing loss to the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots now need to focus on their off-season, which is poised to be quite interesting. Over the next couple of days, I will be looking at the biggest priorities the Patriots have heading into the off-season. Number one on my list is Wes Welker, the impending free-agent has wanted a new contract for the past couple off-seasons, but the business savvy Patriots have been stingy with Welker.

Patriots fans have become accustomed to popular players being brought to the end of their contracts by Bill Belichick and owner Robert Craft. Most recent, Logan Mankins held out for part of the 2010 season trying to prove a point, but his wish of a new contract was not granted. Eventually, Mankins and the Patriots worked out a new contract and was paid handsomely. Same goes for Vince Wilfork, who is one of the best nose tackles in the league, and was worked to his last year of his rookie deal before the Patriots negotiated a new deal with him. So, Welker must of known a couple years ago this day would be coming.

This past off-season, the Patriots locked up star tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez to lucrative long-term contracts, which were team friendly. While they were signing their new deals, Welker was sitting at home on a one year franchise tag. Even though Gronkowski and Hernandez are both 23-years-old and are up and coming stars, Welker has been the most consistent wide receiver in football since he joined the Patriots. He has proved to be Tom Brady's security blanket, which means a lot in this system. But, Brady has had top targets before be let go due to the Patriots and their representatives not seeing eye to eye, i.e Deion Branch.

Hernandez and Gronkowski haven't been able to stay healthy for a full 16 game slate since entering the NFL. If one of them goes down, Welker picks up their slack. Only having Hernandez and Gronkowski could prove costly as one of them is likely to get hurt, and without Welker, teams can key in on the healthy tight end making the offense predictable.

Welker needs to be re-signed, it doesn't need to be long term, I'm thinking a two-year deal in the range of 20-23 million should get it done. The question is, do the Patriots want to give that much money to a 32-year-old to be, slot wide receiver. Welker cannot be worried about signing a team friendly deal, he needs to do what's best for himself and his family at this point in his career. He will be one of the most coveted wide reliever on the market, and in a pass happy league, guys like Welker are scarce. I just have a feeling the Patriots feel like they have another Wes Welker in Julian Edelman, and he can be had at a much lesser price. Welker is going to cash in this off-season, the question is where?

I will be putting up my second priority for the Patriots this off-season in the coming days.

Patriots Vs Ravens Prediction

There are only four teams left, two of them in the AFC, one of them is our hometown New England Patriots. New England fans have got accustomed to being in this situation with only one game left to win to reach the Super Bowl. Some say we are spoiled, I think to think of it as we are worthy. Boston fans are the best in sports, die hard fans that stick with their teams through thick and thin. The biggest reason that we have won three super bowls in 12 years and been to seven AFC Championships, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick

They have been the two constant's throughout it all, there has been so much turnover with the Patriots roster over those seasons. As we like to say in New England, in Bill we trust. Most fans are so used to winning that they think this game will be a blowout, I don't think that will be the case. Whenever the Pats and Ravens meet it is a dogfight, except for the 2009 AFC Championship, where we lost by more than ten points, but that was the game right after Wes Welker tore his ACL in the last game of the regular season and Gronk and Hernandez weren't Gronk and Hernandez. This might be the last chance for the Ravens, as their all-star defense is getting old, and has been injury prone throughout the past couple seasons. All-Pro Ray Lewis is retiring after this game, which has been a major storyline since he announced his decision before the wild card playoff game. Ed Reed is 35-years-old, but he is a still a play maker but not the "ballhawk" that he used to be. Terrell Suggs is playing with a torn tricep, which limits the pressure he can put on Brady, which is his biggest asset. So, as a Patriots fan you have to be aware of the Ravens knowing this might be their last stand. 

The Ravens have been one of the toughest teams in football over the past decade and that hasn't changed, they still have safety Bernard Pollard, who the Patriots wide receivers need to be aware of, because he likes to lay the lumber. Then you have Haloti Ngata, who is a major run suffer, but I feel Logan Mankins and Ryan Wendell can handle Ngata, who is playing with multiple injuries. 

Our offense should be able to take advantage of this slow and old Ravens team with the pass. Brady needs to take advantage the Ray Lewis in the middle of the field with running backs Danny Woodhead and the emerging Shane Vereen. Rob Gronkowski is out, so that puts even more pressure on Aaron Hernandez. I believe he could have his best game as a pro today. He proves to be a major mismatch for any linebacker, as he has speed and size, which most linebackers cannot handle. Ray Lewis five years ago could handle him, but not today.

The Patriots cannot abandon the run tho, they need to keep this Ravens defense honest, and not let them put five defensive backs on the field, and flood the middle of the field on Brady. Steven Ridley has proved he can handle the work load, so 10-15 carries for him should be perfect, and a mix of draws and stretches in the hurry-up for Woodhead and Vereen should be perfect.

Aqib Talib has been brought this defense swagger and confidence. Talib has shut down corner skills, which is tough to find in the NFL. He basically can shut down one side of the field, putting him on the opponents best wide-out relieving the pressure on the other defensive backs like Devin McCourty and rookie Alfonso Dennard. I would put him on Anquan Boldin, as he can move the chains easy, and speedster Torrey Smith may prove to be to fast for Talib. Stopping Ray Rice is also a main factor, but this Patriots run defense has been stout all season long, Vince Wilfork has been playing the best football of his career, along with Kyle Love. 

This will be a close game, if the Patriots can stop Ray Rice, and not let Joe Flacco throw the deep ball to Torrey Smith, the Patriots defense will be in good shape. Plus, there are reports that wind gusts may reach upwards of 40 miles per hour, which will work to be in the Patriots favor. As for the Patriots offense, Brady needs to run the no huddle offense, keep this old, slow defense on the field as much as possible and be unpredictable. Losing Gronk hurts, but Brady has enough weapons to survive. Should be one for the ages, people will be sitting on the edge of their seat starting at 6:30ET and will still be there when the clock hits 0:00.

Final Prediction: Patriots 27-- Ravens 23 

Can LeBron Catch Kareem?

Last night LeBron James was the youngest player ever to reach 20,000 points. In the prime of his career at only 28-years-old, does LeBron have a chance to catch Kareem? Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar is the all-time leading scorer at a touch over 38,000 points. James entered the league at the tender age of 18 and has been a force since he hit the NBA. Coming into the league with so much hype, becoming the number one pick, people wondered if he could live up to it all? I believe he has answered all those questions. Scoring in every which way, slashing, mid-range, dunking, free throws and three-pointers. While also winning one NBA championship in 2012. He has the total package that no one in the league can stop. So is the day inevitable when James is atop the all-time points list?

You have to think James can play at a high level for the next 6 to 7 years, just like Kobe Bryant is doing now, where he leads the league in scoring at the age of 34. If James can average around 2,000 points a season, that puts him around 14,000, leaving about 4,000 to go. But, this includes a full 82 game season, health and no work stoppage. In a shortened season last year, James still put up 1,683 points, but a couple seasons like that Kareem might not be reachable. In an age now where player unions and owners are not connecting, the NBA CBA deal ends in 2021 but both sides can opt out in 2017.

James has been very lucky and not had any serious injury's, but with the way he plays, it might be inescapable, when his body gets older and starts to wear down. Taking hits night in and night out, leaving James tossing up three pointers, which isn't his specialty.

James hasn't been a fan favorite since his "decision" to leave Cleveland in 2010. But, NBA fans have to admit we are seeing one of the greatest basketball players ever. Not only did he score his 20,000 point last night but he also got his 5,000 assist. We haven't seen a player that can do it all like James since Oscar Robinson. Do I think he will reach Kareem? Yes. But, that has a few conditions, health, which is always a major factor, and work stoppages. If he can average 75 games over the next 9 seasons he is there, which puts him at an elder 37 years of age. He is just to much of a freak to not do it, plus I believe he has a big enough ego that will push him when he gets close, even if he is losing his physical ability.

Check out the video below, which show LeBron reaching the milestone!

Bringing Back Some Old Patriots Memories

For all of you Patriot lovers out there, you remember beating the Rams in Super Bowl XXVI. The Rams were heavy favorites coming into the game, but the game ended up being close down the stretch. A young Tom Brady lead the Patriots down the field with two minutes left to go, eventually leading to a Adam Vinatieri field goal. With the Patriots in the AFC Championship this Sunday, lets hope they can reach the big game again. Check out that two minute drive, trust me you will get goosebumps.

Is the World Baseball Classic, Good or Bad for Baseball?

Whenever the USA gets a chance to show the world they're the best at something, we usually are all for it. But, is the World Baseball Classic the exception? Sending some of our best MLB baseball players off to face other countries even before the MLB season starts, just doesn't seem like a good idea. Sure, the players are all for it, but their teams, not so much.

With USA playing their first game on March 8th, that puts players leaving in the middle of spring training to go play Mexico. The game is in Phoenix, so they don't have to travel oversees, but the extra wear and tear on the players has been evident. Playing an extra 10 or so games, added on to the 162 they already play in the regular season, puts players in a strenuous position. Especially for pitchers more than hitters, during this time in spring training, pitchers are usually throwing three innings and just starting to throw off speed pitches. These games are intense, playoff like games happening in March. Luis Ayala had to have tommy john surgery after the first World Baseball Classic, and players like Daisuke Matsuzaka, performed poorly and had a tired arm mid-season after participating.

This year we have a all-star lineup yet again, including Ryan Braun, David Wright, Joe Mauer, Adam Jones and R.A. Dickey. Not to mention all of the MLB players playing for different countries. All of these players are the stars of their teams, and if one of them gets hurt, their teams season could go down the drain fast. So, if I was a team owner or general manager, there is no way I am letting my players go and play. There's to much risk and not enough reward for me as an owner, as I am paying them millions to go win me a Championship. 

The classic needs to happen at a different time, or needs to be discontinued. Its tough as the MLB season runs so long, but a perfect time would be right after the World Series, play the games in a warm country, it will just be like winter ball for some of these players. Get a good group of young players, and send them to go play for their country. You may not win, but it would be exciting, and give young players and opportunity to show what they got on the big stage. 

Who's Your Rookie of the Year?

Rookies dominated the NFL scene in 2012, and seem poised to do so in 2013, and there after. Number one pick, Andrew Luck took a 2-14 team to the wild card playoffs with minimal help around him. He didn't have the best statistical season with 23 TD's and 18 interceptions. But, he was poised late in games, coming back from many fourth quarter deficits. His legs were his biggest asset, besides his right arm. Keeping many plays alive with a weak offensive line in front of him rushing for five touchdowns. Luck seems on track to live up to the hype coming out of Stanford, being compared to Peyton Manning throughout the draft process.

There might not be a more entertaining player in the NFL right now than, Robert Griffin III (RGIII). The second overall pick, led the 9-7 Redskins to their first NFC East championship since 1999. Running the pistol offense, the speedy Griffin made the Redskins offense dynamic with fellow rookie Alfred Morris.  Making them almost unstoppable at times when Griffin wasn't injured. Griffin threw for 3,200, but only threw 5 interceptions to 20 touchdowns, much better than Luck. Also, Griffin rushed for over 800 yards, putting his body at risk many of times during a game. Which led to Kirk Cousins leading the Skins to two wins at the end of the season due to Griffin hurting himself running. Electrifying a somewhat somber fan base, Griffin goes up against a tough Seahawks defense on Sunday, trying to continue what has been a magical season.

Completing the trio of quarterbacks in consideration for ROY is Griffin's counterpart on Sunday, Russell Wilson. Not a first round pick like the other two, Wilson slipped all the way down to the third round, when Pete Carroll decide to take a chance on the 5'11" QB. Wilson was also a dual threat running and throwing the football. Compiling 29 total touchdowns with only 10 interceptions. Not many people knew what the Seahawks had when they took him, but quickly found out. As Wilson was tough inside the pocket and quickly became the Seahawks leader. A team that focus' on tough defense and running the football. Wilson's tremendous play didn't allow team to put eight guys in the box, and key in on running back Marshawn Lynch. 

This is a tight race between three great quarterbacks who have changed their respective franchises for ten plus years in the future. So, that being said, who's your rookie of the year? If I had a vote, it would go to Griffin. He was in a tough division and was more dynamic than people think. Sure, Cousins came in and won two games for the Skins. But, that shouldn't discredit Griffin at all who was basically playing on one leg in the last week of the season, in a winning effort versus the Cowboys to clinch the division  He had a great statistical season, along with becoming a face of a franchise and turning around what has been a laughing stock franchise over the past ten season. 

Future 1st Overall Pick?

We saw one of the most devastating hits in the Michigan-South Carolina game this past weekend. Defensive end Jadeveon Clowney cuts through the Michigan offensive line like a knife through butter and demolishes Vincent Smith, causing his helmet to fly off and more importantly fumble.
Check out the play!

Are the Celtics Turning Into the Red Sox?

The 2012-2013 Boston Celtics have gotten off to a troubling start, to say at the least. They haven't won back-to-back ball games all season. Let's see if they can end that Cleveland Cavalier like stat tomorrow night against the new look Hawks, after blowing out the Pacers tonight. But, there's something about this years team that just isn't right.

Last years team had you sitting on the edge of your seats every game. You would make sure to tune in whenever they were playing... or I know that was true for me. That team had heart, effort and grit about them. Besides Kevin Garnett, this years squad seems like they don't care if they win or lose, and are lackadaisical running up and down the hardwood. Doesn't this sound eerily familiar to the demise that the Boston Red Sox went on after players got paid, and stopped reacting to their coach in 2011?

Sure, that 2010 team was nothing to root for, but they went and played hard every night for the fans who packed Fenway Park. Fans loved the Red Sox's, they would spend the outrageous price to enjoy the team, and the historical park. Now in 2011 and 2012, tickets are cheap, and fans are not flocking to Boston to see Dustin Pedroia and others play. Its seems like this is slowly happening now with the Celtics.

They still have beloved players, but with whispers of a bad locker room and terrible attitudes, it doesn't sound promising. This offseason general manager Danny Ainge paid mid-level players like Jeff Green, Brandon Bass, and Courtney Lee. Have they become complacent? Garnett will still try and fire up the team every night but how much does the 36-year-old have left in the tank to give, night in and night out?

The only way this team is going to win on the court and in public opinion is if Rajon Rondo turns on the gas, dominates games, and takes this team to the promise land. Rondo had a spat with former teammate Ray Allen, who is one of the most beloved players in the game. Lets hope Rondo's ego and personality doesn't interfere with the Celtics title aspirations.